The dormitory was quiet, bathed in the stillness of the night. Everyone was deep in slumber, exhaustion from the test and the long day finally catching up to them. But the peace didn't last long.
Out of nowhere, a shrill, ear-splitting alarm echoed through the dorms, the sheer volume rattling the walls.
Mia jolted awake with a startled scream, flailing dramatically as she rolled right off her bed and hit the floor with a loud thud. "Owwwww!" she groaned, sprawled out like a starfish.
Seraphina groggily opened her eyes, glaring toward the source of the noise with an expression of pure annoyance. But when her gaze shifted to Mia's disheveled state on the floor, she couldn't hold it in. A laugh bubbled up before she burst into full-blown laughter, clutching her stomach.
"You should've seen your face!" Seraphina managed between laughs. "Priceless."
Mia sat up, rubbing her head and pouting. "This is not funny, Sera! Do you have any idea what this means?!"
Seraphina raised a brow, still chuckling. "That someone really needs to tone down their alarm settings?"
"No!" Mia wailed, scrambling to her feet. "This is his doing! Sir William—the infamous psycho instructor! I always thought the rumors about him being Hades incarnate were just exaggerations, but nope, they're true! The alarm at this ungodly hour proves it!" She threw her arms up dramatically. "Why did they assign him to us? My precious sleep…"
Seraphina just flopped back down onto her pillow, saying "Sounds like a you problem.",
watching with mild amusement as Mia frantically rummaged through her belongings, trying to get ready.
"This is going to be hell, isn't it?" Mia muttered to herself, tugging on her boots.
Seraphina, on the other hand, yawned, pulling the blanket over herself. Unbothered.
Mia stopped mid-motion, blinking at her roommate. "Sera. Sera! Are you seriously going back to sleep?! Did you not hear the alarm?!"
"Mmhm," Seraphina mumbled, curling up under the blanket with a pillow pressed over her ears. "Five more minutes…"
Mia stared at her like she'd grown two heads. "FIVE MORE MINUTES?! SERA, ARE YOU INSANE?!"
Mia gaped, panic rising. She rushed to Seraphina's bed, yanking the blanket off with a desperate cry. "You have to get up! Sir William is going to kill you for this! You'll be punished for sure! Hurry up!"
Seraphina groaned, clutching the pillow tighter. "Mia, shut up. I just want to sleep. I'll get up in five minutes, I promise."
Mia tried tugging at Seraphina's arm, but the stubborn girl refused to budge. After a few minutes of struggling, Mia threw her hands up in defeat.
"Alright, fine! I give up!" Mia huffed, glaring at her unbothered roommate. "You're on your own, Sera. Don't say I didn't warn you!"
With that, Mia grabbed her bag and dashed out of the dorm, leaving Seraphina snuggled in her bed, blissfully ignoring the chaos.
As Mia ran toward the training ground, she couldn't help but mumble to herself, "She's insane. She's completely insane. Who sleeps through Hades' summons?!"
Training Grounds
The first rays of sunlight peeked over the horizon as recruits gathered at the training grounds. The air was crisp, but a palpable tension hung in the atmosphere as everyone waited, stiff-backed and nervous. The alarm had been enough to rattle them, but the real fear came from the man they were about to face.
Mia stood in the back row, already sweating—not from the warm-up, but from nerves. "Why is he making us gather so early?" she muttered under her breath, tugging nervously at her sleeves.
Everyone has gathered already.
She glanced around anxiously, but one notable face was missing. Seraphina.
Mia's panic flared. "Oh no, where is she? She didn't—oh no, she did. She really went back to sleep!" She buried her face in her hands. "She's going to be punished for this, I just know it!"
Before her inner spiral could go further, the heavy sound of boots striking the ground snapped her to attention. Sir William Carls had arrived. He strode into the training ground with the confidence of someone who commanded fear and respect in equal measure.
"Good morning, recruits," he said, his tone sharp enough to slice through steel. "Or should I say, survivors?" He paced before them like a predator sizing up prey. "Yesterday's test was just a warm-up. Now the real training begins. If you think you've faced hardship before, you're in for a rude awakening."
Mia stiffened, clutching the edges of her uniform tightly. "Where are you, Sera?!"
As if on cue, a faint commotion caught everyone's attention. A figure was approaching the training grounds leisurely, not bothering to rush despite the intensity in the air.
It was Seraphina.
Mia let out a mix of relief and disbelief. "She's alive?! What took her so long?!"
Seraphina strolled toward the group, her posture relaxed, a faint smirk playing on her lips as if nothing could faze her. The contrast between her calm demeanor and the recruits' nervous energy was almost laughable.
"Late," William said without even looking at her, his voice like a whip crack.
Seraphina shrugged. "I needed my beauty sleep."
A ripple of astonished gasps spread through the group. Mia slapped her forehead, groaning softly, "Sera, what are you doing?!"
William finally turned to face her, his sharp blue eyes narrowing as he sized her up. "You think that's funny?"
"A little," she replied smoothly, not missing a beat.
For a second, the recruits thought William might explode. But instead, the faintest hint of a smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth.
"Alright," he said, his tone deceptively calm. "Since you're so well-rested, you'll be setting the example today. Front and center. Let's see if your confidence matches your performance."
Seraphina's smirk grew, and she moved to the front without hesitation.
Mia watched her, equal parts horrified and impressed. "That girl's insane," she muttered, shaking her head.
And just like that, the training began.